The way we view technology for cable TV and video cameras, as well as for spy planes and terrorist surveillance vehicles, may soon change thanks to a group of UD students.

UD engineering students are working with the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to change bandwidth boundaries that could reduce costs of delivering video services, including cable TV, video and still cameras, cell phone video and Internet streaming video. This technology could also aid in surveillance video information, giving reconnaissance operators and police help with spotting terror suspects.

The group of students, called the Center for Collaborative Computing, specializes in digital and video image processing and reconfigurable computing. There are two internal groups of students. One group works at UD, while the other works at the Air Force base.

The research at the Air Force base is mostly concerned with high quality compression algorithms and their application in high speed and low bandwidth applications, according to Jim Hayes, a student working towards his doctorate in electrical engineering, and also getting hands on experience at the base.

'Initially, our group was primarily concerned with ' non-applied research,' said Hayes. 'More recently, the group has grown and added applications to our repertoire, transitioning much of the technology we have developed in house to the real world. As a whole, our group now plays a very important role in the development of technologies in information systems at Wright-Pat.'

Frank Scarpino, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at UD, is the supervisor of student researchers at the base.

According to Scarpino in a press release, changing bandwidth boundaries could reduce the costs of delivering video services, along with other services using a continuous imaging stream.

The technology being used will also be suited for and added to video players and surveillance cameras currently in use, for no additional cost.

Not only will the technology be useful for everyday life, it will also be useful for military and security purposes, according to Scarpino. Spy planes and surveillance vehicles will be able to transmit more detailed pictures with an increased bandwidth. They will also be formatted to fly and shoot pictures at the same time.

The research relationship between UD students and the Wright-Patterson Air Force base is important for building community relations, according to Scarpino. The project also helps students with hands-on experience and gives them something to offer future employers.

'The students are given a great opportunity when they join our group,' said Hayes. 'Not only does the program help with tuition and a stipend, but we are given a chance to work with cutting edge technology and run projects that are far beyond the typical internship level of experience.'

Students from Case Western Reserve University, Wright State University, Miami University, University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University and Oakland University in Michigan are also working on the $2 million research project.